MedTrace Logo

Exercise Training to Improve PTSD Symptoms and Health in Older Veterans

NCT04199182 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 80

Last updated 2026-03-25

Study results available
· View outcomes & findings →

Summary

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among military Veterans and is more than just a psychological condition; PTSD has profound negative impacts on health, function, and quality of life. Older Veterans are the largest patient population served by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and many have lived with PTSD for 40+ years. Veterans with PTSD engage in low levels of physical activity and spend much of their time in sedentary activities, adding to their risk of physical disability. The benefits of exercise on mental health and physical well-being in older adults are well-substantiated, but the effects of exercise training on late-life PTSD symptoms is a new area of study. This study is designed to examine the effects of 6 months of supervised exercise training on PTSD symptoms and PTSD-related conditions (e.g., functional impairment, sleep) in 188 older Veterans with PTSD.

Conditions

  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Exercise Training

A multi-component group exercise intervention that emphasizes functional training. Duration is 6 months, and frequency is 3x per week.

OTHER

Healthy Aging Attention Control (HA-ATC)

Participants in the HA-ATC group will receive a health education program modeled on the "10 Keys to Healthy Aging" curriculum and the National Council on Aging's "Aging Mastery Program." HA-ATC will include an 8-week face-to-face group program followed by bi-weekly sessions for the remaining 4 months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • VA Office of Research and Development

    lead FED

Principal Investigators

  • Katherine Shepherd Hall, PhD · Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2021-06-07
Primary Completion
2025-02-10
Completion
2025-02-28

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04199182 on ClinicalTrials.gov